Saturday 18 February
It's a busy time for me again - The S&D Telegraph issue 39 is under production (due out March), so my time at the station recently has been limited. Good news though is that the Up and Down lines are now connected at the farthest point close to the current land boundary. The Down line is ballasted almost all the way to its end, just short of the boundary, whereas the Up line still needs ballasting for the last 100 yards or so and is currently just lying directly on the trackbed and resembles a rollercoaster! Planning permission has now been submitted for the next section of land, and with pre-application planning and meetings already taken place, we'd hope that the application's passage will be reasonably smooth. The current lineside field path should be surfaced very soon, with contracts being organised for its completetion as I write. The Down side embankment has been strimmed and tidied up again at the station end, Down side, Chilcompton side of the pillbox. More signalling equipment is constantly appearing, with signalling cable pulleys and wires having appeared since I was last there. The Up platform ramp, Chilcompton end, is being remodelled; it requires cutting back a little due to tight clearances with some of the rolling stock. The garden embankment Chilcompton side of the signalbox, is getting a low retaining wall a few feet back from the rear plaform edge, to create a more level few feet of garden, before the bank slopes up, which is more in line with the historic appearance, which can be appreciated from period photos of Midsomer Norton station.
Tuesday 17 January
A quick review of work progress from the weekend; I was working with the track gang again on Sunday and we were jacking and packing the track on the main Down line close to the farthest extent of the boundary towards Chilcompton. The diesel loco and Dogfish hopper wagon were employed spreading further ballast, taken from the somewhat diminished latest delivery, stockpiled on the 'unloading road' in the goods yard. The PMV wagon has been shunted into the goods shed and Glyn's gang were busy knocking the hell out of its concrete screed floor, so that the whole floor can be replanked - which is progressing well. The Midland Railway coach was lifted by crane yesterday (Monday) so that the refurbished wheelsets could be replaced underneath. A spare engine for the DMU was due to be delivered yesterday. The original cold frame on the bank/garden on the Chilcompton side of the signalbox is being rebuilt with a low retaining wall on the bank, which both appear structurally complete, the cold frame presumably still requires a cover or some sort of glazing. The retaining wall block facing below the bank/path to the buffet coach from the main car park, at the end of the goods shed road, appears to have been finished.
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It's a busy time for me again - The S&D Telegraph issue 39 is under production (due out March), so my time at the station recently has been limited. Good news though is that the Up and Down lines are now connected at the farthest point close to the current land boundary. The Down line is ballasted almost all the way to its end, just short of the boundary, whereas the Up line still needs ballasting for the last 100 yards or so and is currently just lying directly on the trackbed and resembles a rollercoaster! Planning permission has now been submitted for the next section of land, and with pre-application planning and meetings already taken place, we'd hope that the application's passage will be reasonably smooth. The current lineside field path should be surfaced very soon, with contracts being organised for its completetion as I write. The Down side embankment has been strimmed and tidied up again at the station end, Down side, Chilcompton side of the pillbox. More signalling equipment is constantly appearing, with signalling cable pulleys and wires having appeared since I was last there. The Up platform ramp, Chilcompton end, is being remodelled; it requires cutting back a little due to tight clearances with some of the rolling stock. The garden embankment Chilcompton side of the signalbox, is getting a low retaining wall a few feet back from the rear plaform edge, to create a more level few feet of garden, before the bank slopes up, which is more in line with the historic appearance, which can be appreciated from period photos of Midsomer Norton station.
Tuesday 17 January
A quick review of work progress from the weekend; I was working with the track gang again on Sunday and we were jacking and packing the track on the main Down line close to the farthest extent of the boundary towards Chilcompton. The diesel loco and Dogfish hopper wagon were employed spreading further ballast, taken from the somewhat diminished latest delivery, stockpiled on the 'unloading road' in the goods yard. The PMV wagon has been shunted into the goods shed and Glyn's gang were busy knocking the hell out of its concrete screed floor, so that the whole floor can be replanked - which is progressing well. The Midland Railway coach was lifted by crane yesterday (Monday) so that the refurbished wheelsets could be replaced underneath. A spare engine for the DMU was due to be delivered yesterday. The original cold frame on the bank/garden on the Chilcompton side of the signalbox is being rebuilt with a low retaining wall on the bank, which both appear structurally complete, the cold frame presumably still requires a cover or some sort of glazing. The retaining wall block facing below the bank/path to the buffet coach from the main car park, at the end of the goods shed road, appears to have been finished.
Older entries >
